Like Cats and Dogs (Sebaciel)
by AceLovesAnime
Summary: Alternate Universe - Ever since Valentines Day, the contract has been broken. Despite this, Sebastian is still Ciel's shadow, though he's a slightly less-helpful shadow at times. They bicker, they argue, but neither are entirely to blame. Sebastian x Ciel. {Credit for the Cover Image goes to the appropriate artist.}
1. Cats Vs Dogs

**{** This part of the fic was based off an RP with _the-contracted-raven_ _o_n Tumblr. **}**

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_Despite their contract being broken, Sebastian Michaelis was still hanging around the Earl of Phantomhive. Perhaps it was that he fancied the kid, or maybe the demon was just bitterly bored and looking for entertainment; regardless of his motives, he was there, and had just happened to find a small cluster of kittens in the alley…_

"The kittens were just so cute, I couldn't help myself," Sebastian defended the situation at hand, biting back a laugh at how ridiculous the formality of this conversation was.

"Lets go, you cat obsessed moron," Ciel snapped as he walked by the demon, shaking his head in disapproval. Before he could be argued with, he raised a hand and added, "You know its true, so don't even start."

To this opportunity, Sebastian couldn't help but snicker, "Well I'd rather love a cat than a tied down dog for the Queen."

A glare formed in those azure eyes, lips curling back into a bit of a snarl as he spoke, "At least I'm not a mangy stray eating out of garbage cans, _kitten_." It was a new nickname Ciel had picked up, whenever he was annoyed, since the contract had been broken several months prior. Some might've said that insulting a demon was a dangerous game to play, but the Earl didn't really mind taking that risk when it came to Sebastian Michaelis.

"At least a kitten can go where it pleases. A dog is always at the beck-an-call of its master." The demon smiled back at the insult and stepped forward, picking the young Earl up by his collar as he pointed out, "You know I could kill you right now and there's not a damn thing you could do about it." He gave a shrug before adding, "But you aren't afraid of death, so what would the fun be in that?" With that, he dropped the boy back onto his feet, rolling crimson eyes as the kid stumbled to regain his balance.

Ciel grunted as the former-butler suddenly lifted him by the collar of his shirt, managing a brave gleam in his eyes despite of the situation. "Quite the contrary," came the boy's reply, "I'm just not afraid of death by **you**, butler. You don't have it in you after all this time." There was a pause as the demon released him from his grasp; Ciel landed with a thud, biting back a curse as he retorted, "Ah, but a stray cat is always relying on other's for its next meal, or a dry place to stay. Dogs never have to worry about that, because they _mean something_ to people."


	2. All Your Fault

**{** The RP-based part is over, now this is just me continuing the story. **}**

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The butler narrowed his eyes at that before asking, "Are you implying that I don't _mean_ anything to you?" He scoffed at the whole thing, shaking his head before arguing, "And I'm _hardly_ a stray. I've been staying in **your** mansion for years."

Whirling around to face the demon once again, Ciel snapped, "You were a stray **before** me and now that our contract has ended, that is **all** you are." His blue eyes were harsh as he glared at Sebastian, hands balling into fists at his sides. Taking a deep breath, the child let some of his anger simmer out as he resorted back to being sarcastic, "It really is a _shame_ that your unbeating heart got the best of you, Sebastian."

"I was hardly the only one to blame," the demon spat, his words like acid as he and the boy glared at one another.

Ciel shook his head, slowly growing fed-up with their game of wits. After a moment of frustrated silence, he growled out, "Why are you still **here**? The contract is over - it's been over!"

"Quite frankly, my lord," Sebastian explained slowly, taking a step forward and meeting the other's gaze, "I rather enjoy making your life a living _Hell_ after what you did." He glanced around the alley for a moment before snickering, "Oh, and that suspect's long-gone by now. Congratulations, you traded the Queen's orders for an argument with _me_."

With that, Ciel threw his hands up in defeat, turning on his heel as he quickly walked down the alley in hopes of burning out his annoyance. "The Queen will have my _head_ yet with you screwing everything up," he snapped without even turning to look back; he knew that Sebastian would follow him - despite the contract's end, the butler was still the boy's shadow.

Childishly, Sebastian grumbled, "**You're** the one that screwed everything up."

"You never had to say… to say… _**that**_!" The young Earl was referring to what had been said the day that their contract was broken; they'd promised to never say anything about it again, hence Ciel's reluctance to even paraphrase it. He started to rub his temples as he walked, sighing heavily, "Just drop it, Sebastian. I'm going home..."


	3. Valentines Day

_**Back in February**_

It had been Valentines Day when their contract had been not only broken, but completely shattered, the sharp edges drove into the underside of their fragile agreement. Ciel had been standing in his office, leaning partially against his desk with his arms crossed. He'd told Elizabeth that he was too busy to celebrate the overly-romantic holiday, though he actually had very little to do…

And so on and so forth his thoughts wandered as he stood there, until he was finally pulled from his daydream by the door creaking open. The servants had been sent away for the day, but there Sebastian stood in the doorway. "What is it?" Ciel sighed, expecting the worst despite his attempts at keeping a low-profile today.

"I thought you might want some company, that's all," the butler's reply was a bit too informal, but the Earl dared not to over-think it as Sebastian walked into the room, shutting the door behind him. "You look troubled, my lord," he pointed out before asking, "What's wrong?"

For a long moment, the Earl said something to his butler. He instead started to pace back and forth in front of his desk, his hands balled loosely into fists. Finally, he stopped, looking at the demon again as he asked, "What do you know about Valentines Day, Sebastian?"

"It's a holiday," the butler began thoughtfully, "It's mostly about romance now, but it was originally over the death of Saint Valentine. I can't say I've ever practiced the whole thing, being that saints sicken me…" He must have realized he was trailing off topic, because he stopped there and added, "Why do you ask, my lord?"

The Earl's voice was nearly a mumble when he replied, "Curious, that's all." For a moment, the room was quiet, and then he asked, "You say you don't celebrate it. I assume that means you don't have a Valentine?" This was all completely ridiculous, Ciel knew, but he just couldn't get the subject out of his head today.

No doubt, the butler was confused about the child's sudden fascination with the holiday. He'd always resented festive days and had avoided them like the plague - he'd done the same today, even, but he was still talking about it… "No," the demon's voice pulled Ciel back to their conversation, "I don't have a Valentine." He shook his head, his voice growing bitter, "Why would I?"

"You say that," Ciel told him thoughtfully, "But you sound like you want one—"

Now maybe Sebastian had wanted to get a reaction out of the Earl, or maybe he was just bored with the conversation, or maybe it was something else entirely, but suddenly Ciel was pushed up against the wall, his mouth just an inch away from his butler's. "What—" the child's voice stuck in his throat as their lips connected, the demon kissing him thoroughly with a lust that made the younger male's head spin.

Before Ciel knew it, his legs had gone weak, his body melting into the assault against his own will. He gasped as sharp teeth grazed his lips, too shocked to think of shutting his eyes. The scene around them grew darker until he could barely see, and then the kissing finally stopped. Before he could say a word, the butler's lips brushed his ear, a low voice purring, "I can see the pain in your eyes and the hurt in your heart." There was the softest of pauses before the final words, "Goodbye, Valentine."


	4. The Contract, Broken

_**February 15th **_

Sebastian had simply disappeared after their little scene, and Ciel had fallen into a deep sleep. When he'd next awoke, having been tucked into his bed at some point, the memories came rushing back to him, thoroughly rattling the young Earl.

_I can see the pain in your eyes and the hurt in your heart._

It had sounded like a quote from somewhere Ciel didn't recognize, but he desperately wanted to know its origins. But then, that last part… he knew that he'd heard Sebastian right, but he didn't understand what it meant.

_Goodbye, Valentine._

_What exactly had the butler meant by Goodbye? _

Ciel got out his bed swiftly, moving to his closet to find something to wear. It wasn't until he'd gotten dressed and was about to grab his eye-patch that he realized something was horribly wrong:

His eyes were both blue, as normal as the day he'd been born, removed of any mark the demon had left. The pentagram that usually resided on his contract-eye was completely gone, replaced by an azure shade that perfectly matched the other eye. He blinked and starred at the mirror for a long time before he actually believed what he was seeing, and then Sebastian's voice echoed in his mind:

_Goodbye, Valentine._

**_Goodbye._**

The Phantomhive boy's knees struck the ground before he'd even realized he'd fallen, the air gone from his lungs as his heart ached with confusion. "Why do you have to talk in riddles, Sebastian?" he whispered the question, but he didn't get an answer, nor had he expected one. Shaking his head, he sat like that for quite some time before forcing himself to his feet again.

A survey of the room, however, revealed an envelope sitting on his nightstand. It was similar to the ones that the Queen sent, but the seal wasn't hers; instead, it was that of a raven. He neglected to cut the seal away and instead tore it off, careful not to harm the piece of paper inside. It wasn't a letter through, or even a note; it was a poem.

_I started to love you for reasons far too soon,  
So I can only swear by something as inconstant as the moon.  
I can see the pain in your eyes and the hurt in your heart, _  
_And I wish I could fix it but I don't know where to start.  
We've been going in circles for too many years,  
Yet I'm always the one trying to dry your tears.  
You never stop long enough to see how I feel,  
And I'm sorry that, unlike you, my heart isn't made of steel.  
I'm not a solitary creature, but you're the definition of that word,  
So, to you, I know my feelings will sound absolutely absurd.  
It's not that i resent you for your ways,  
But I can't bare to watch you cry for the rest of your days.  
Revenge isn't sweet, but this letter won't change your mind,  
So I'm not giving you a choice, you've another demon to find.  
Because I refuse to be the one to end your light,  
Instead I'll silently watch from the shadows of the night.  
**-Sebastian Michaelis**_

Ciel starred at the piece of paper in his hands for what seemed like hours. He read it once, and then convinced himself that he was seeing things before reading it again, slower that time. From there he lost count of how many times he'd read over that poem, but the words never changed and the meaning so clear as day. Sebastian wasn't his butler anymore; he wasn't even his demon anymore.

* * *

In the weeks that followed, Ciel Phantomhive would manage to convince himself that Sebastian was just playing with him. The only problem with that theory was the fact that, for those weeks, Sebastian wasn't at the Manor at all; he stayed out of the Earl's sight entirely, silent as a shadow, until Ciel actually broke down and called for him:

The second he'd called, however, Sebastian was there. At first, he said nothing, only nodding in response to what Ciel wanted him to do. Then he'd disappear to do it before silently slipping back into his spot at the Earl's side. So the days went, and slowly they both relaxed and started to talk again, though they dared not to speak of Valentines Day.

It was also during this time that Sebastian Michaelis started to resent Ciel for avoiding the subject. He also resented the fact that Ciel had brought up the subject of Valentines Day in the first place, though he knew it had been his fault for reacting the way he had. Still, the child had pushed his buttons, and then… Well, then Valentines Day happened.

* * *

Sebastian's accusations later that July about _'what you did_' wasn't referring to anything that Ciel had actually done. No, it was for several things, but not anything he'd physically done…

_For letting me fall in love with you, you stupid human._

_For acting like you have a death-wish._

_For being so childish despite how hard I've tried to protect you._


	5. Nothing Good About Goodbye

_**Back To July**_

That night, Ciel had returned home and went straight to his room. He'd practically slammed his door in Sebastian's face, not wanting to talk to the demon any longer. This whole day had been one frustration after another. He hadn't any tea to drink because Mei-Rin broke the tea-pot that morning. He was running late on a meeting with the Queen, then the suspect had gotten away…

Now? Now he was left alone in his bedroom with a sour taste in his mouth. Against his better judgement, he took that poem from Sebastian out of his dresser drawer and read over it. Entranced in his re-reading it, he jumped in surprise as the door flew open. There stood Elizabeth, a bright smile plastered on her face as she greeted, "Ciel!"

"Elizabeth,' he nearly choked on her name as he shoved the piece of paper underneath his pillow, then hurried to stand at her side, "What brings you here?"

"What were you reading?" Lizzy asked curiously, trying to look around him. To stop her, he took hold of her arm and led her towards the nearby balcony, mumbling about how it wasn't important. "Oh.. if you say so," she shrugged, following him out onto the balcony.

The sun had mostly set now, stars starting to flicker in the sky. He put his hands on the rails and looked up at the stars, sighing as he asked, "Did you need something, Lizzy? I'm really not in the mood to chat."

"Actually…" The hesitation was palpable in the Lady's voice and, despite how distracted he was, it sent a flutter of dread through the Earl. "I… Ciel, we've been engaged for quite a while now and… I don't want to marry you," she confided, shutting her emerald eyes for a moment. Her usual cheer was gone, replaced by an almost cold demeanor as she added, "I just wanted to let you know… I…. Goodbye, Ciel."

It felt like a knife had been slammed into his heart, though he'd later wonder if this was in actual pain or simple surprise. He opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again, deciding to only nod. For a moment, the balcony was silent. Somehow, Ciel had known that this day was coming. As they'd slowly grown up, Lizzy's childish happiness had faded into noble-contentment; she didn't love him, he'd known that for a while. Honestly, he wasn't sure if he believed in love at all…

Finally, just when he thought the silence was going to eat him alive, he whispered, "Goodbye, Elizabeth." He didn't realize she was already gone; his back had been to her the entire time, so he didn't realize that she'd never hear his goodbye. But… maybe that was for the best, because in all reality, that would have made it much worse.


	6. Seemingly Heartbroken

/ Hey, look, it's another update! Kind of short, sorry!

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Ciel stood on that silent balcony for quite some time before he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. The demon's voice, soft and contorted with worry, was more comforting than Ciel had realized it would be, "Master… are you alright?" He could hear the concern in the former-butler's tone and, despite himself, he turned to face him and just shook his head. Sebastian sighed and, as Ciel stepped forward, wrapped an arm around the boy, voice quiet, "You should get some sleep."

The Earl didn't have to be told twice that night. He nodded and pushed the butler's arm away, stalking into his bedroom with a heavy sigh. Sebastian followed him, trying not to frown, then turned to leave the room. To his surprise, Ciel spoke up, "Stay here… please."

* * *

That next morning, Ciel Phantomhive refused to get out of bed to work. Honestly, it kind of scared the servants, but as always, Sebastian was quick to round them up and get things taken care of. Mei-Rin was sent to get a new tea-set for the young master, Bard was sent out to find ice-cream, and Finny was sent to the garden to.. find something, anything, that might cheer Ciel up. Sebastian, meanwhile, went back to Ciel's room. "My lord… are you alright?" he asked gently.

Ciel just shook his head at the demon, pulling his knees to his chest and hugging them. Frowning, Sebastian moved to wrap an arm around him; for once, Ciel didn't protest - instead, he rest his head on the butler's chest and mumbled, "I don't blame her, you know.. for hating me. Hell, I hate me."

"Don't," Sebastian sighed, "Don't you dare." He tightened his half-hug a little, mumbling part of his poem just barely loud enough for Ciel to hear, "I can see the pain in your eyes and the hurt in your heart… And I wish I could fix it, but I don't know where to start."

_Those words. _

_So many times they had been said, and never an answer had been given…_

_**"—I'm not some broken toy that you can fix, Sebastian. I'm never going to run right."**_

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/ Okay, I don't feel like I should have to say this, but a friend of mine read this chapter and asked if they had sex yet. The answer is FUCKING NO - IF THEY DO, I WILL TELL YOU. BLOODY HELL, GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER.


End file.
